SUMMIT ROAD TEA ROOMS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21296, 16 October 1934, Page 7

SUMMIT ROAD TEA ROOMS

TO THE SDITOE O* THE PEJtSS. Sir, —I read with interest "Visitor's" complaint in this column of treatment received at one of the Summit road tea rooms, and also the statement of one of the Summit Road Trust officials that "all patrons receive courteous treatment." May I give my experience of a visit to the Takahe? Having a car at our disposal in the lunch hour of a lovely day in early spring, we decided to run up to the Takahe, instead of having dinner in town, as is our custom. As on two other occasions we had run up there for tea, only to find the place closed, and also thinking that the light refreshments served would be a poor substitute for a hot dinner we took with us a small cake, to fill up odd corners. When we asked for a knife (to cut this cake), the waitress demanded, "What for?" To our astonishment we were told that only the refreshments served might be eaten in the tea room. With our eyes on the dainty, but diminutive, sandwiches and cakes (for three hungry people's dinner) we protested, and suggested that a less hard-and-fast rule might better serve the interests of a holiday resthouse. We were told (quite courteously) that if it was desired to run the tea rooms on those lines it was. no concern of ours, and (still quite courteously) that the patronage of people ■vyho did not like it could be done without. On this, as on other occasions, we were the only patrons in the tea rooms. The view is right, the place is right. What is wrong? Would not different methods of management cater more adequately for holiday' traffic and obviate the necessity for public appeals?— Yours, etc., Upip October 13, 1934.